Protective eyepiece



July R. MALCOM'V- 2,251,194.,

PROTECTIVE EYEPIECE Filed Jan. 9, 1941 7/ I 3mm RoberZMalcom,

Mama

Patented July 29, 1941 PROTECTIVE EYEPIECE Robert Malcom, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,847

8 Claims.

This invention relates to protectors of the helmet or mask type used to prevent injury to the eyes, faces, and heads of welders, grinders, stone and steel workers, and others by intense light, thrown off sparks and particles, and other impinging matter.

It is an object of the invention to provide for such protectors an eyepiece having parts so arranged and formed that it easily and economically may be associated with a facepiece in the process of assembling parts in production of the completed article.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide an eyepiece having parts that may be assembled with the facepiece by pressing together with the facepiece material securely clamped between the parts.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an eyepiece the major parts of which can be made quickly and economically by die stamping from sheet metal stock.

When considered with the description herein, characteristics of the invention are apparent in the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein an adaptation is disclosed for purpose of explanation.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawing, of which- Fig. 1 is a front view;

Fig. 2 is a top view partly in section on line 2--2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end View partly in section on line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view of the inner member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the inner member.

The eyepiece of the invention is for closure of the sight opening in the arcuate front of the facepiece of a helmet or other protector to prevent injury to the eyes of the user. The facepiece is of sheet material of any suitable kind. It is conventional practice to make it of tough and substantially rigid fiber material pressed to shape. The facepiece material is designated in the drawing by the numeral 6.

An inner member I of the eyepiece is of sheet metal or comparable material die stamped to shape as a single unit and having a sight opening therethrough. It includes a flange 8 that is arcuate in length to abut against and to conform to the curvature of the facepiece. End walls 9 and side walls I!) extend from the flange, the latter extending laterally and outwardly from the walls. The walls terminate in a plane, where they have a flat margin II that surrounds and extends inwardly of the opening of the member.

The end walls 9 have oppositely disposed abutments I2. A spring member I3, having an opening corresponding to that defined by the margins II, is retained removably in place by the abutments, and it holds a glass or other transparent sheet I4 against the margin.

The inner member is for association with an outer frame I5. The frame, like the inner memher, is of sheet metal or comparable material die stamped to shape as a single integral unit. It is of similar form in that it comprises a laterally extending base flange I6 that is arcuate in length to conform to the curvature of the facepiece, and also to the curvature of the flange 8 of the inner member, and it has end walls I1 and side walls IB that surround the opening through the frame and are connected to the flange [6.

The side and end walls of the inner member I and the outer frame I5 constitute, on each of those parts, a single wall defining the sight opening through the eyepiece. The interior perimeter of the frame opening is of a size to receive the wall surrounding the opening of the inner member I with a close and frictionally retentive fit. This permits the inner member 1 and the outer frame I5 to be pushed into assembly. When in that assembly, the flanges of the inner member and the outer frame are cooperatively opposite each other.

The juncture of the wall of the inner member with the glass-retaining margin II may be rounded as shown at I9, and the walls I! of the outer frame may be rounded at the base as shown at 20, to facilitate entrance of the inner wall into the frame. This permits the inner perimeter of the frame wall and the outer perimeter of the inner member wall to be of substantially the same size, for when the parts are of sheet metal or comparable material the walls have suflicient give to permit one to be driven into the other. The result is that the two parts are reliably wedged together. It also permits the two walls to be substantially perpendicular to a plane tangent to the arc of the flanges 8 and I6, and the wall of the inner member constitutes a wedge to be driven into the wall of the frame.

When it is desired to have more decisive wedging association of the two parts, the outer surface of the end walls of the inner member may slant inwardly from the base flange toward the outer margin, and the wall of the outer frame may have corresponding or slightly more slant on the inside, as shown in Fig. 2.

The two members may be forced together in cooperative association in any suitable manner. For example, the inner member may be placed in the facepiece opening with its flange 8 against the inside of the facepiece. Then the outer frame is placed over the inner member, and the two members are driven and wedged together until their flanges clamp the facepiece material between them. Then the two members have a driving or sledge fit.

Ordinarily, this frictional association of the two facepiece parts is sufficient in normal circumstances to retain them firmly together in association with the facepiece during the useful life of the protector. However, in order to prevent dissociation in abnormal circumstances, the walls of the inner member and outer frame may be crimped together by a quick punch at suitable places, as indicated at 2|; the walls may be spot welded, or they may be held together in any other suitable manner.

The outer frame is fitted with a glass or other sheet 22 normally opposite to that of the inner member, and it may be associated with the frame in any suitable manner. For example, it may be carried by a frame 23 swingably mounted on the outer frame l5.

As shown, the frame 23 has pintles 24 at its top that extend between ears 25 on the top of the frame l5, Where they are pivoted on pins 26. A spring 2? bearing against the end of each pintle operates to keep the frame 23 in both the upper and lower positions to which it may be swung. Usually, when the protector is to be used by welders and others who are subjected to intense light in their work, the inner glass is of comparatively light color and the outer glass is darker. The darker glass in the swingable frame can be swung upwardly out of the line of sight when the user of the protector wishes to see more distinctly when not looking at a welding or other intense and injurious light.

I claim:

1. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange, and an inner member having a sight opening and including a part pressible to a frictionally retentive fit into said frame and a laterally extending flange cooperable opposite to said frame flange to clamp material of the facepiece therebetween.

2. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange, and an inner member having a sight opening and including a Wedge pressible to a frictionally retentive fit into said frame and a laterally extending flange cooperable opposite to said frame-flange to clamp material of the f acepiece therebetween.

3. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange, and a part pressible into the sight opening of said frame to a frictionally retentive fit with the wall thereof and a laterally extending flange cooperable opposite to said frame flange to clamp material of the facepiece therebetween.

4. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange, and a wedge pressible into the sight opening of said frame to a frictionally retentive fit with the wall thereof and a laterally extending flange cooperable opposite to said frame flange to clamp material of the facepiece therebetween.

5. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange and a wall on said flange surrounding said opening, and an inner member having-a sight opening and including a wall of exterior wedge shape pressible into said frame wall to a frictionally retentive fit and a laterally extending flange on said inner member wall cooperable opposite to said frame flange to clamp material of the facepiece therebetween.

6. An eyepiece for a protective facepiece having a sight opening, comprising an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange and a wall on said flange surrounding said opening, the inner surface of said wall slanting inwardly of said opening from said flange, and an inner member having a sight opening and including a wall of exterior wedge shape pressible into said frame wall to a frictionally fit and a laterally extending flange on said inner member cooperable opposite to said frame flange to clamp material of the facepiece therebetween.

7. In a protective article, sheet facepiece material having a sight opening, an outer frame having a sight opening and including a laterally extending flange abutting said material, and an inner member having a sight opening and including a part having frictionally retentive fit in said frame and a laterally extending flange abutting said material opposite to said frame flange, said flanges clamping said material between them.

8. In a protective article, sheet facepiece material having a sight opening, an outer frame including a wall defining a sight opening therein and a flange on said wall abutting said material, and an inner member including a wall defining a sight opening therein and disposed in the sight opening of said material and having frictionally retentive fit with said frame wall and a laterally extending flange abutting said material opposite to saidframe flange, said flanges clamping said material between them.

ROBERT MALCOM. 

